Generally a giant hit can come from small beginnings. On the Billboard Scorching 100 for the week of August 11, 1962, there have been no fewer than 19 new entries, the final of which peeped out onto the world from the common-or-garden place of No.100. Every week later, it had nudged as much as No.94.
However the single saved on climbing and climbing, and by the tip of October, was beginning a three-week run at No.3, because the Motown Data story expanded. That 45 was on the Gordy label and written and produced by label founder Berry Gordy himself: it was the Contours’ “Do You Love Me.”
Within the days when pop hits typically took ages to journey, and generally didn’t make the journey in any respect, the UK hit model of “Do You Love Me” was snatched by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. They turned it into the primary Motown to develop into a British No.1 – however not till the next yr, and never till that they had themselves appropriated a tune that had been “imported” by Merseybeat favourites Faron’s Flamingos. It was additionally a extra modest UK hit for the Dave Clark 5, and lined by the Hollies on their first album.
However there was no rivalling the uncooked power of the unique by the Contours, the six-piece from Detroit who took the tune to No.1 on the US R&B chart for 3 weeks. There have been seven extra R&B High 40 hits to come back for a gaggle who have been at all times up with the newest dance crazes – they’d talked about the mashed potato, the twist and others on the signature hit, and would attain No.15 R&B early in 1965 with “Can You Jerk Like Me.” The Contours additionally took the Smokey Robinson tune “First I Look At The Purse“ to No.12 on that chart later in 1965.
Reaching a brand new technology
“Do You Love Me” was their solely pop High 40 success, nevertheless it occurred twice over. In 1988, after it had featured within the smash hit film Soiled Dancing, the tune was embraced by a brand new technology, reaching No.11 on the Scorching 100.
It was fairly a narrative for a tune that, as detailed in Quantity 2 of the Full Motown Singles assortment, wasn’t meant for the Contours in any respect. Berry Gordy had envisaged it as a automobile for the Temptations’ Paul Williams, however on the essential second, the group have been in church watching gospel greats the Dixie Hummingbirds. The Contours occurred to stroll into Motown whereas Gordy was noodling on the piano, and as they received prepared to go away, the boss requested if they might file the tune. It was a sensible query.
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